Voters decide in Hamilton fire district elections Saturday

On Saturday, voters in Hamilton will cast their ballots for the annual budgets and commissioners in their various fire districts.

Most districts will have their budgets flat or close to flat for the next year. A few though, have proposed increases and some above the 2 percent cap. Most of the districts are now dealing with increased water usage rates from Trenton Water Works.

Hamilton and several other municipalities entered into a settlement last year that accepted a 40 percent rate increase for fire departments, putting upward pressure on the fire district’s budgets.

In Fire District 1, Eric Campbell is running unopposed for commissioner. The budget for that district will be $488,238 and taxes will stay flat.

Scott Fairfax has no opponent in his race for fire commissioner in District 2. The taxes will remain flat for $3.2 million raised out of a $3.6 million budget.

Gene Argenti, the chairman of the board of commissioners in District 2, said the district had planned for the increased rate from Trenton Water Works and did not have to increase the budget this year.

“We’ve got great budget guys and we’re very frugal,” he said.

James Graminga and Joseph Zalescik are running unopposed for fire commissioner in the Fire District 3. The district proposed a $3.7 million budget with $3.6 million raised in taxes.

Thomas Gribbin, the chief for the third district, said residents there would see a tax rate at about 89 cents on each $100 of valued property. A victorious appeal from PSE&G had increased the rate from the high 70s last year, he said.

Keith Lesslie and Richard Coleman have no opponents for fire commissioner in Fire District 4, and the budget there could take a jump. The budget would raise taxes there by 3.3 percent, or about $71,000 for a total of $2.2 million.

Charles Michels, Charles Stanley Jr. and Jonathan Tomko are vying for one commissioner position in Fire District 5. The budget includes some $1.3 million in tax levy.

Dave Barlow and George Heagele are running for fire commissioner in Fire District 6, and Vincent Lucidi and Leonard Pope are running for a one-year unexpired term as fire commissioner. The budget would raise $2.2 million.

Adam Bendas and John Marcucci have no opponents in their runs for reelection as fire commissioner in Fire District 7. The budget there is some $3.4 million, with a .3 cent increase on each $100 of assessed value.

Patricia Willever and Brian Moss have no opponents in Fire District 8. The budget there would raise $1.3 million in taxes. Commissioner George Lenhardt said the budget had increased about $18,000.

“Unfortunately the price of everything has gone up,” he said, including the water rate from Trenton Water Works.

William DiMeo has no opponent in the Fire District 9 race for fire commissioner and the budget there would raise some $3.3 million in taxes.

Mark Antozzeski, the fire chief in District 9, said residents will see a rate increase of less than a cent, although they do not have the final numbers on their ratables yet. He reiterated a sentiment from other chiefs and commissioners.

“It’s normal inflation basically,” he said. “Everything costs more this year than it did last year.”